Kiss It Better
by ArtificialAorta
Summary: Rebounding back to Brock isn't the best idea but Darcy's 42 weeks pregnant and SHIELD Academy has been trying to passive aggressively get her to drop out. Give her a break. *Takes place before SHIELD Child of Mine*
1. The One Where Darcy Makes Bad Decisions

Summary: Rebounding back to Brock isn't the best idea but Darcy's 42 weeks pregnant and SHIELD Academy has been trying to passive aggressively get her to drop out. Give her a break.  
Pairing: Darcy Lewis/Brock Rumlow  
Warning: This is a baby/pregnancy fic. I did my best to research anything related though I've never been pregnant so please excuse any incorrect info.  
Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. Obvi.  
A/N: I'm alive! Alive and terrible at finishing my WIPs. But that's a given at this point. Still. My baby crazy plot bunnies have decided to continue in the Let's Tesselate 'verse.  
A/N2:At first, I was gonna make this a post for the Lemon Fic event but didn't finish it in time. Then I was gonna post it for Halloween and well, obviously still not finished. I've been nervous to post this but I'm just gonna do it and hope you like it!

Have lots of angst! It's my Christmas present to you!

* * *

The first thing that Darcy felt when she woke up was pain in her left shoulder and hip. Second was a pair of strong arms surrounding her diligently, despite the pillow/blanket cocoon she'd created throughout the night. Third was the overwhelming desire to pee. Fourth and last was the almighty crush of regret, guilt and love.

Pushing away some of the blankets tangled in her arms and legs, Darcy grumbled about the injustice of the world and made a pitiful attempt to pull away from Brock but he only held her tighter. Turning her head and earning another twinge, Darcy looked to find Brock sleeping rather soundly and she couldn't help but feel jealous. Then came the shame. Life had not been kind to Darcy these past 5 months. Well, perhaps her life was not the worst and she really shouldn't complain that much but she was 42 weeks pregnant now, so she was allowed to be grumpy.

What had triggered these months of terrible was Brock's confession to her that he was actually a Hydra agent. Icing on the cake was also telling her that SHIELD was technically Hydra except for the few goody goodies that were blissfully ignorant.

It had been all terribly confusing. Not only because Darcy had been under the impression that all modern Nazis shaved their heads and tried to mansplain away the entirety of WWII. Life was a lot easier when she assumed all the evil in the world was easily recognizable and not sleeping next to her every night. What had made all this even _more_ confusing was the 4 month old bun in her oven that had apparently been fathered because Brock was on some Hydra (née SHIELD) experimental super soldier steroid that countered the sterility shots he got biannually, that were also courtesy of SHIELDRA. She'd been petrified but easing into the idea of being a young mother, with Brock at her side, but all of that was napalmed the day that he claimed to have grown a conscience.

Of course, she had slowly been trying to get over it all when she got the 'amazing' idea of falling back into bed with Brock about a month ago. So far, Darcy had been able to stave off the guilt by telling herself that it was all purely physical. Also, since the length of her pregnancy was getting ridiculous, the sex was purely medical too because it was a well known fact that sex could help lead to contractions and thus labour. If Brock had put this child in her, he could at least have the curtesy of helping her get the kid out (something she had told him numerous times now).

None of this was dulling the shame now. While their arrangement this past month had been bewildering to say the least (she tried to blame the hormones most of the time), last night had been alarming and different and just a huge reminder of why Darcy should never have let Brock back in her life at all. Because last night during sex, she'd told him she loved him and of course he said it back. Everything had shifted once those words slipped out. Brock's touches were just that bit softer, tender and lingering. There had always been a quality to the sex that Darcy had chosen to ignore when they started back up. A sense that Brock was savoring each time she let him near, as if he wasn't sure if it would be the last. But after last night, Darcy knew she couldn't ignore the shift between them or _her_.

Brock had spent the entire night, which he'd never done before. He'd also been willing to prop up the pillows and blankets ridiculously over him so Darcy could lay down comfortably. _Also_ , he undid and remade the cocoon every time Darcy woke up to pee, all the while sleepily kissing her shoulders and neck and making all sorts of feelings bubble back up.

The worst thing was that Darcy couldn't blame it on hormones or heat of the moment. She knew that she still loved Brock after all the betrayal and lies, but she couldn't stop it. Try as she might to rebuild a life without him all these months since learning the truth, there didn't seem to be a life for her if he wasn't there in some way. To be fair for him, Brock had been trying to right things. At least, that's what Natasha told her about Brock's secret meetings with her and Cap, revealing just how terrifyingly deep the Hydra conspiracy went.

Seven pounds of discontented fetus pushing on her bladder brought Darcy out of her jumbled thoughts to the matter at hand. Out of need and some spite, Darcy began to shift a little more wildly in an attempt to wake up Brock. It eventually worked and Brock's eyes snapped open, body tensing as he took in the room and situation. Once he realized where he was, he relaxed and smiled at Darcy.

"Good morning'," Brock yawned, voice much more content than she'd wished he was.

"I have to pee. Also, I'm still pregnant, so this is definitely not a good morning," Darcy said curtly back, fighting the quickening of her heart when Brock left a lingering kiss on her neck. She wanted to hate him but she couldn't when she was near him. It was easy when she didn't see him and could dwell on all of the terrible things he did in the name of Hydra but not when she looked into his soft amber eyes that looked at her with nothing but affection. Eyes that always made butterflies flutter in her chest. Despite insects in her intestines, she still swore to his face she didn't want him involved with the baby. And yet, she practically demanded he have sex with her to help with inducing labour. God, Darcy was a hypocrite and only not as bad as Brock because at least she wasn't apart of a Nazi organization. Willingly that is.

"We can have sex again if it's still not working," suggested Brock lightly, smile still on his face and very close to becoming a smirk as he helped Darcy untangle herself then shift to the end of the bed. A bit of self-hate welled up in Darcy when the suggestion definitely perked her interest. As Brock helped Darcy stand up, she did a pretty good job of dodging the kiss to her neck that he attempted to place. To save some of his pride, he picked up her glasses from the bedside table and handed them to her.

"I had assumed that your Hydra sperm would have broken the dam by now," complained Darcy and she could practically feel the eye roll that Brock sent to her back as she waddled towards the bathroom. They'd had this conversation about a hundred times before and after the Hydra word bomb.

"The meds didn't affect my DNA," sighed Brock, picking up a water bottle on the bedside time and going into his practiced speech about how he wanted to better his performance as an agent. "It just enhanced-"

"Yeah, yeah, the 'roids restarted your sperm factory and you can bench a car and you're not a Nazi but wanted to defend humanity against itself," scoffed Darcy, waving a hand absentmindedly. She stopped her journey to the bathroom to watch Brock's jaw tighten and his eyes close briefly as he collected himself. It was a sore subject for both of them. Breathing out through his nose, Brock counted backwards to ten in his head like Darcy had taught him a few months into their relationship.

"Everything I have done in the past year has been for you. The both of you, especially, in the past nine months," Brock said evenly when he'd found his calm again. The statement prickled at Darcy and she frowned at the longing and pain that was oozing from her chest now. "Ask Romanoff or Rogers."

"Well, I didn't ask you over to talk about your suddenly blooming redeeming qualities. I asked you over to get this damn demon spawn out of me," Darcy snapped and Brock raised an eyebrow.

"Demon spawn? That's how you're gonna talk about our baby?"

"Fine, just regular spawn," huffed Darcy, not wanting to admit that she really did feel guilty about calling her baby a demon. It wasn't the kid's fault that her dad was a secret Hydra agent and her mother was making poor life choices. "Why am I still talking? I have to pee."

"Because your head's all baby crazy?" teased Brock, opening the water bottle in his hand and taking a long sip. As much as Darcy wanted to shout that she did not have crazy baby brain, she was coherent enough to know that it would only prove his point and he was also kind of right because the hormones were making her feel like a big, dumb, emotional ball. She wanted to get the last word though. Another idea popped into her head from one of the many websites she'd read regarding late pregnancies.

"You know, if this kid doesn't make any moves to leave in the next couple days, I'm gonna ask the doc about us and serious nipple play," Darcy said nonchalantly and as she expected, Brock inhaled his water. When he stopped coughing, she smiled innocently at him. "It's supposed to be a sure way to cause contractions but doctors advise against it because it may affect infant heart rate."

"Hey, if it's purely medical…" Brock shrugged, lowering his voice so it sent shivers down her spine. In an attempt to show he wasn't getting to her, Darcy held her head high and continued her walk to the bathroom. If feeling Brock's eyes on her back caused another swell of conflicting emotions, she refused to let it show. Fact of the matter was she was going to be a mother really soon and she had to figure out her life choices. One of them was what she was gonna do with Brock.

* * *

"Ya know, I feel weird about only coming over when your mom's out of town," Brock mentioned lightly as he cooked scrambled eggs in the kitchen. Darcy sat at the kitchen table, watching him work shirtless around the kitchen. He looked kind of ridiculous, yet not out of place in between all the subtle, classy Halloween decorations her mother had placed around the kitchen since she began spending a few nights a week to help out. There were mini pumpkins and gourds artfully placed around the counters and table. Framed taxidermy moths and spiders were hung up and gothic candelabras filled the room, adding to the black and white color scheme. Mom was a interior designer and who'd been stress decorating in an attempt to help Darcy feel like she was in an adult home and not a single, hot mess 22-year old having a baby out of wedlock. Still, as Darcy watched Brock work in the kitchen, she decided there probably wasn't anyone that would argue against this. The morality of Darcy accepting his offer to make her breakfast in the first place was one that made her all the more discombobulated but at least she got a view. "It makes the age difference just that bit more creepy."

"Well, she'd probably try to kill you if she saw you, not to mention the aneurysm she'd have if she knew we were sleeping together again," Darcy rolled her eyes because of course out of all the things fucked up in their relationship at this point, he was still gonna focus on the age thing. Then again, her mom had said on multiple occasions that Darcy was better off with Brock out of her life. Her mother was not a woman to be taken lightly when it came threats.

"Afraid she'd take the house back?" teased Brock, looking over his shoulder and sending Darcy an irresistible grin. The unspoken offer still hung in the air, dampening his confidence but even if that hadn't been noticeable, she could see it in the sadness in his eyes. He'd only said it once but the offer that his place was obviously still open to her. She and Brock had fixed up the apartment they shared after they found out about the pregnancy and were in the middle of finishing the baby room design when she left him.

Of course, she'd moved back in with her parents until the surprise baby shower during month 7, where her stepdad's gift had been this townhouse in Arlington. Her stepdad planned to expand the properties he owned and rented out but this two floor, two bedroom townhouse he decided to save for her. Darcy had cried for a straight 45 minutes because never in her life would she be able to have afforded a place like this in such a good neighborhood that also happened to be in an awesome school district. All she had to do was pay utilities and help with upkeep. The only thing that was ruining this great life she'd seemed to built, was watching Brock move so naturally in the home that would have been perfect for them.

"I assume you…told her about what happened between us?" Brock cleared his throat, tension in his shoulders forming from Darcy's silence.

"Sort of," admitted Darcy, biting her bottom lip. Her tone made Brock turn towards her with a raised brow. "Well, it's not like I can tell her you're Hydra and that our relationship was built on lies."

"I never lied about how I felt about you," Brock ground out, clenching his teeth and stopping himself from starting an argument that never ended well. Taking a breath to calm down, Brock focused back on scooping the eggs onto separate plates that already had bacon and toast. The smells combined and wafted through the air. Darcy did her best to not moan over them. Throughout their relationship, Darcy had never been able to figure out how Brock made scrambled eggs taste so good and right now she was elated that whatever secret ingredients used weren't ones that triggered her preggo gag reflex. "What did you tell her?"

"I used a metaphor, of sorts," admitted Darcy lightly. Things were starting to get a little awkward. Darcy hoped breakfast would be so good that she could ignore the tension.

"Metaphor?" Brock pushed, raising his brow and his unamused anticipation caused a shiver to run down Darcy's spine and between her legs. Damn it. Seemed like breakfast would be awkward for other reasons.

"Yeah," Darcy winced and scrunched up her nose before continuing. "I told her you were cheating on me."

"Jackass knocking up her daughter then leaving her for another woman? Guess that explains the unbridled rage then," sighed Brock, placing a plate in front of Darcy and joining her at the table by taking the chair next to her. Thrilled loins were forgotten as she took a bite of the eggs and followed it quickly with a mouthful of bacon.

"Mmm," hummed Darcy, feeling like she was transported to heaven. She almost missed the warm smile Brock sent her. With mouth full of toast like a heathen, Darcy continued but was becoming a little unaware of the gravity of the story because food. "Well, she wasn't impressed with how you handled the initial baby news. So this wasn't much of a leap you cheated. Oh, 'cept it wasn't another woman."

"If it wasn't another woman then who did I cheat with?" asked Brock, avoiding any more mention of the disastrous 4 days after Darcy had told him she was pregnant. It had included him accusing her of cheating, drinking copiously with most of STRIKE, then him waking up on Sitwell's lawn and getting a suspension for a week without pay. Other than that though, his birthday had been nice.

" _Sooo_ , when I told my mom, it was just before dinner and she was cutting up veggies. I'd been crying all weekend and was finally coherent enough to actually explain but I knew I couldn't say anything about Hydra because that was a whole 'nother can of worms," rambled Darcy, unable to stop the tears from welling and not entirely sure why she was getting emotional. It didn't help that Brock was now looking at her with painful remorse etched in the lines of his face. "And it slipped out. It was the best thing I could think of but she got so angry that she slammed the knife into the cutting board and I thought she was gonna go out and actually kill you with, like, mom powers or just sudden hulk strength. Also, she demanded to know who the 'hussy' was so she could teach her a lesson as well. She was going on and on about how whoever it was would never be able to show her face in DC society ever again."

"I'm surprised you didn't let her kill me," Brock said quietly. A lump formed in Darcy's throat. She sniffed but a few deep breaths later and the tears finally subsided.

"Not gonna lie, it was tempting. But I was so confused about everything. Still, understood that my mom killing a higher up Hydra goon would not end well for the family," said Darcy, going back to eating breakfast. She tried to ignore the slight cringe of Brock's face at the 'goon' term. "I guess also…a little bit of me still really loved you and didn't want to completely obliterate your reputation. Sort of like, defending you was still an innate reaction towards my parents maybe. Or something?"

"Still loved me, huh?" grinned Brock, any sign of regret gone as he looked upon her with so much affection that Darcy needed to just go outside and get some fresh air. Her body was floating but she desperately wanted to be back on the ground. The last thing she needed was fuel for some delusion that everything between them would magically be fine again. A kick from inside her stomach caught Darcy's attention. It was quickly followed by two more kicks. Each one felt like muscle twitches from her lower belly. Rubbing her stomach, Darcy willed the baby to stop because she really didn't care for the infant's opinion on this matter. "So, who's my lover?"

"Jack," answered Darcy, a little distracted. Rather quickly, the grin fell from Brock's face and Darcy felt one forming on hers. "Seemed like the best answer at the time. Told her you had been confused about your sexuality over Jack and you just couldn't keep up the charade anymore. Had to live your big, ol' gay life with Jack."

"Your parents think I'm gay? And that's why I 'abandoned' you?" Brock grumbled, finally digging into his breakfast with an aggressive fork spearing.

" _Also_ , that Jack tried to buy my baby."

At that, Brock raised an eyebrow. "Overkill. I think I'd rather have them know the truth."

"Apparently my stepdad won a bet between my sister. Said he knew you were gay all along. Too many muscles compensating for something were his exact words," Darcy snorted at the perturbed look on Brock's face. "Baby buying was a surprise for him though."

"Really?" Brock said, entirely unimpressed. A giggle left Darcy's throat. "I'm sure Jack will love to hear that. I'll tell him when I pick up Kraken."

"How is Kraken?" Darcy asked eagerly. Longing welled in her chest. She missed that dog so much. If she was thinking clearer, she may have dognapped when she first left Brock but it hadn't occurred to her when she was trying to get the hell out of what used to be their apartment.

"Misses you," said Brock bluntly and a sharp guilt pierced her heart. There were obvious undertones in his voice suggesting the doberman wasn't the only thing that missed Darcy's constant presence. Quietly and gently, Brock continued. "Did you really cry so much that you couldn't explain to your parents what happened for a weekend?"

"I cried for 3 months," admitted Darcy before she could stop herself. Some of the blood drained from Brock's face.

"So, you stopped crying over me when we started…whatever this is supposed to be now?"

Swallowing past what always seemed to be the ever-present lump in her throat, Darcy tried to backtrack. He didn't need to know how she sobbed like a baby into her pillow every night for 2 months straight. Or how sometimes she still cried even harder when Brock was never there to hold her and help her through the stupid little things and the big things that cropped up from this pregnancy. "But like, don't take too much stock in it. I cry over everything. Last week I dropped a pickle slice on the ground during class and I started crying. All the professors and students just ignore me now when I start sobbing in the middle of a lecture."

"You know I never meant to hurt you," Brock said eagerly, dropping his fork and pinning Darcy with such longing that she had no hope to even try and stop the tears now streaming down her face. Standing up, Brock walked over and kneeled in front of Darcy, waiting for her to turn in her chair so that her knees and ginormous stomach were facing him. He took her hands in his. "I was in so deep before I knew where I was. With Hydra and then when I fell in love with you. But you're the only thing I care about, Darcy. I want to make things right. That's why I told you. That's why I'm still working with Romanoff and Rogers."

"Brock, you don't have to-" begged Darcy through sniffling and pouring tears that she couldn't even wipe because she didn't want to rip her hands out of Brock's warm grip. All the feelings she had worked hard to try and suppress flooded up. Every little doubt that had plagued and needled at her when Brock had first admitted to being in Hydra began to dance in her mind.

"All I want back is our life together."

"Then why don't you fight?" shouted Darcy, unable to stop the anger and pain mixing sickeningly in her stomach. Pulling her hands from his, Darcy struggled to stand up and shrug off Brock when he tried to help. "You just told me and let me scream and shout and then walk out the door. But you never tried to convince me to come back. Not really. You never fought for me. For us."

"Because I needed to make it right. I needed to make sure that you weren't gonna be a target. They're still watching me, still doubting my loyalty after when I said we were through. You know they don't trust me when I'm with you. Too many unknown factors and they can't trust I'll make the calls they want."

"All because I'm pregnant?"

"All because I love you more than anything I've ever cared about in my life."

"Can you…can you just stop? Stop reminding me why I miss you and want you and can't have you," sobbed Darcy. Shaking off the arms that tried to hold and comfort her.

"It's the truth, Darcy. I can't change that."

"I think you should leave."

"Yeah, maybe I should," conceded Brock softly. He turned to leave but stopped and Darcy gritted her teeth, waiting for whatever he would say that was sure to make her cry even more. "Just please, consider telling me when you go into labour. I…want to help however I can. Even if it's pacing outside in the lobby. I know you don't want me involved but it's my kid whether you like it or not. I respect the distance you want but I deserve to know her."

"I don't know," whimpered Darcy, shaking her head and wishing she could get back all the anger that had dissipated all these months after learning the truth about Brock. He'd appeared to be moving on in a number of ways. Why couldn't she seem to?

"We can, I don't know, figure something out?" begged Brock. His eyes were desperate and shoulders slumped. Standing in front of her in nothing but a pair of boxers, he ran his hands across his face and her heart sank. "Some way to make sure she's safe despite me being there? That's what you're worried about, right? I'm sure Romanoff can chaperone when I'm around. If that makes you feel better. All because I can't be with you…please, _please_ don't make it so I can't be near our daughter."

At first, Darcy had the urge to shout at him. To curse and scream that he _could_ be with her but it was him that was preventing them. Biting back the impulse, Darcy simply wiped her tears and stayed silent. A small, rational part of her mind that nowadays felt nonexistent, broke through the self-righteous hormones. Maybe she was just as guilty as Brock in letting this relationship drag through mud and gravel. She still refused to listen to his reasoning for staying in Hydra for so long. It was only through Natasha that Darcy had actually been aware of how much Brock was trying to do as a double agent when there was only so much he could do without being caught.

And all of it was to try and win Darcy back, but could she even trust him? His loyalty was only guaranteed because of Darcy. Where would it be if he got tired of waiting or even got angry over it? Natasha convinced Darcy to talk to Brock a month ago but the ex-Russian spy probably hadn't anticipated Darcy falling so fast into bed after a few gentle questions over doctor appointments and requests of ultrasound pictures. Sex hadn't even been on Darcy's mind at the time, what with her feeling so unbalanced and constipated and bigger than the Hindenburg. But Brock just had this way of making her feel so wonderfully coy and sexy despite all that and in some ways because of it. Or maybe Natasha expected all of this and Darcy was just as much of a pawn in it all as Brock was now.

"Look, you don't have to answer me now. But think about it. Please?" Brock asked one final time, turning around and walking out of the kitchen. Without a word, Darcy watched the muscles in his back and shoulders stiffen as he left. He'd said his peace and that was it. Darcy hoped by this point she would have been able to actually answer him.

Not long after Darcy was able to stop her tears (or simply let them run their course), Brock was fully dressed in his tactical gear, one hand holding a nondescript black gym bag he used to carry a change of clothes in case he got called out last night. Not wanting to be a terrible host (which was ridiculous but the manners were ingrained in her by this point with all hosting of superheroes, study sessions and life catch up parties with Jane), Darcy followed Brock to the front door. She opened it for him but neither made any other move, even though the cold October air blew it. For a moment, they stood together awkwardly, trying to look at everything but each other. The silence was interrupted with Brock clearing his throat. Looking up, Darcy found him shifting his weight between feet and with an almost bashful look on his face. She couldn't remember him ever looking like that as he dug into his bag and brought out a small stuffed animal that had seen better days.

"This is…uh. This was mine when I was a kid. It's one of the few things I have left from my parents," Brock explained tightly, handing the stuffed animal over to Darcy. Now she could tell it was a dog. Taking it into her hands, she ran a finger over the brown floppy ears and smiling doggie face. The fur was still soft despite it's age and the obvious worn it had gotten over years of childhood. When Brock was 6, he lost both parents within a year and while she knew about the backstory, he never mentioned more information other than the facts.

"I didn't know you still had things from back then," Darcy wondered softly but Brock simply shrugged.

"Not much. That, a few photos, my dad's watch, my mother's engagement ring," listed Brock, letting the last one weigh down on Darcy. They'd talked about marriage- soon after Darcy found out she was pregnant and Brock had stopped freaking out. Rather quickly it had been decided they weren't ready quite yet, despite everyone's expectations.

"Does it have a name?" Darcy couldn't help but ask, a teasing smile on her lips despite the ache in her heart. She held the dog to her chest protectively.

"Bandit," said Brock warmly as long, almost lost memories flashed before him. "I thought she might appreciate it someday. Until then, she can drool on it as much as she wants."

"She'll love it," Darcy sighed, love and sadness mixing together and bubbling up until it almost spilled from her throat. Unable to stop herself, Darcy stood on her tiptoes and leaned forward to kiss him on the cheek. The slight change in altitude caused her to lose her balance and she fell forward but only for a moment. Strong hands grabbed her upper arms and steadied her as Brock's bag fell with a thump at their feet. With the extra help, Darcy hopped up as much as she could and pressed a quick kiss to his cheek, enjoying the rub of stubble against her lips. Hope shone in Brock's eyes as he looked down on her. "I love it. And now I'm even more confused."

"What can I do to change that?" asked Brock, voice lowering so that it sent shivers down Darcy's spine. His hands rested on her waist, thumbs rubbing lightly on the bump. When she rolled her eyes at his suggestion, he leaned down and kissed her gently on the lips.

"Probably not that," Darcy sighed, melting into him, moving slightly to the side so she could lean against him easily. Despite her weak attempt at a rebuff, she more than willingly let Brock bend down and kiss her again, this time more deeply. As she opened her mouth to let out a soft moan, Darcy felt one of his arms wrap around her shoulders to pull her even closer. It was welcome support as her knees started to weaken. When they broke apart, Darcy's lips tried to follow Brock's and she buried her head in his chest from embarrassment once she realized what she was letting him do. As much as she wanted to blame the hormones for all of this, she knew it was only partially responsible. "We need to stop doing this."

"Do we really, though? You seem to enjoy it as much as me," said Brock smugly. At that moment, the baby kicked in Brock's direction and he felt it against his stomach where Darcy was pressed against him. It made him smirk. "I think the baby agrees with me."

"The baby has no opinion," insisted Darcy and there were two more kicks in quick succession. Darcy did her best to not pout and held the stuffed dog that was still in her hand just a little tighter. Moving the hand on her waist, Brock began to rub up and down her back. Darcy sighed contently at the touch.

"Knock, knock. Am I interrupting anything?" asked a voice and softly knocking on the open door. Both Darcy and Brock straightened up as they turned to find Sam Wilson leaning through doorway and looking between the couple with a raised eyebrow. Sam was a new friend of Steve's. They had met jogging one day and Darcy got the impression that both men were smitten with each other, even if they hadn't admitted it quite yet. Personally, Darcy thought that Sam was the sweetest yet, still snarkiest person she'd met and he'd been so supportive and helpful with Brock not around or if her mother couldn't help out. He would patiently listen as Darcy raged or cried about Brock and because Steve had accepted him into the fold, she'd even been able to give him a few extra details about Hydra. In fact, he was here to take Darcy to an OBGYN appointment which she had completely forgotten about (damn baby brain).

"I don't know. Who are you?" asked Brock, rough voice edged with paranoid concern.

"Uh, Sam Wilson. I'm a friend of Steve. Steve Rogers. Captain America," Sam said, letting a bit of his giddiness over Steve shine through since the man in question wasn't here. He offered his hand and after a moment's contemplation, Brock shook it briefly. Although Darcy tried to slip from Brock's grasp, he held on tighter and refused to let her go.

"He's here to drive my to my OBGYN appointment," Darcy explained and felt Brock's hold tighten even more. The look on his face was blank but Darcy knew that normally meant he was really angry or upset.

"I can drive you," said Brock sharply, daring Sam to challenge him. Sam simply looked to Darcy with wider eyes, unsure of how he needed to step in. Quite frankly, Darcy wasn't sure how he could help, if at all. Sam was supposed to help Darcy with a presentation she had for the Academy. Not only was it supposed to be a major part of her grade while she was away on maternity leave, it was also an important piece in trying to silently take down Hydra. Some important high ranking Agents were coming in for a series of presentations and Darcy was one of the fortunate few to have a time slot.

On average, graduating from the SHIELD Academy of Communications took 2 to 3 years. Pending on grades and ambition, there were people who could get it done in a year and a half. Darcy was aiming for a year and a half but the pregnancy was putting a slight halt to things, given that maternity leave would put her out for almost three months. Darcy had to prove that she was worth keeping. Trying to help bring down Hydra was just an added pressure. So, Darcy somehow managed to get a slot to appear in front of a panel that only the most brilliant and driven students presented to. Normally, it would mean that she was guaranteed the pick of jobs upon graduation. In Darcy's case, it meant she could stay to finish off her last few months after maternity leave was over.

Much of it was orchestrated by Natasha and Darcy really didn't want to be the one to let down the Black Widow. This presentation focused on a new computer program Darcy created to help on Project Insight, which was still in it's infancy. Her computer program assisted with data analysis, sorting information and security. There was more to it, though. Stark had created his own program hidden within Darcy's, that would block the Zola supercomputer from properly utilizing the collected information and even skew the computer's ability to process without it being aware.

So, it was really important that the Agents decide to use the program and there were already enough things that were not in Darcy's favour. In addition to being preggers (super big no-no for the Academy) and about to take maternity leave 2 months into the new semester, she almost suspiciously friendly with all the Avengers at this point. Add to the mix that she was terrible at public speaking. Fortunately, Sam excelled at this because he was charismatic as hell when needed and Darcy honestly could use just even an ounce of his natural talent. This morning was the only time Sam was free before her presentation tomorrow. The presentation itself continued to be delayed and Darcy was pretty sure they were simply hoping she'd just go into labour so it didn't happen and she failed.

"You need to pick up Kraken," Darcy tried to gently nudge Brock in the right direction without completely offending him. While he knew of the importance of the program, she didn't think he knew that Stark had been working with her on it or even the extent of what it did.

"That can wait. This is more important."

"It's probably better if you're not seen with me," pointed out Darcy and Brock's jaw tensed. "Sitwell won't be happy if you're late to work again because of me. Especially when we're not together anymore. Work wife might think you're cheating."

"You know this isn't how I wanted things to be," Brock said in frustration, lowering his voice because he was acutely aware of Sam awkwardly rocking back on his heels, hands in pockets and looking around pretending not to eavesdrop when he so obviously was.

"But that's how it is," Darcy shrugged out of Brock's grip and he let her go, without fighting anymore. He looked defeated with his shoulders slumped and his face tight. Tears began to swell in Darcy's eyes and she wasn't entirely sure why.

"Fine," Brock simply said, picking up his bag and nodding towards Sam with thinly veiled rage. For a moment, Darcy thought that he would fight for her. For them. As he walked away, he didn't look back and Darcy's heart broke. When Brock was out of sight, the tears finally came.

"Hey there, lil' mama," Sam cooed, pulling Darcy into his arms. The grip was comforting but nowhere near as comforting as Brock's and that made her cry even harder.


	2. The One Where The Dam Breaks

**A/N** : And introducing Cameron Klein. Points to those who recognize him...  
 **A/N2** : Super proud of myself for finishing a multi-chaptered fic (even if its two chapters) because if you hadn't been able to tell, I'm terrible at that. New resolution for the year?

 **Warning** : Has birth related details in this chapter. If that freaks you out, probably shouldn't read. Also, I have never given birth but have done loads of research so I hope it's believable.

* * *

"I think I'm gonna puke," Darcy gagged, opening one of the windows in the second story classroom and gulping in fresh air.

"Is it from the burger or from nerves?" Cameron Klein asked, dropping a bag of burgers with extra pickles to run over to her with a trashcan. With curly brown hair, a gentle smile and kind disposition, he was the perfect Jewish boy that her grandmother would have wanted her to marry. They'd met at a Communications and Sci-Tech mixer a couple months ago, went on a few dates and made out a few more times but Darcy wasn't ready to date someone seriously and Cam didn't want to be a father figure just yet. So they formed an easy friendship.

It helped Darcy trust others a tad more because she was pretty certain that Cam could never be Hydra. The guy had a Captain America trading card in his wallet and she didn't think that would fly in Hydra. The relationship also helped Darcy feel her age, what with impending motherhood and secret infiltration missions for the Avengers weighing down on her 22-year-old shoulders. Besides, it was just nice to do normal young adult things like hang out with Cam's Sci-Tech buddies at bars and parties. Their sci-tech babble helped ease the sting of missing Jane nowadays. Cam and Darcy even went to a Halloween party a few nights ago as Juno and Paulie.

Although Cam was still officially a Sci-Tech student, he had pretty much graduated at this point and was waiting for the final paperwork to finish before he started his job as a SHIELD launch technician and specialist. Today, he offered to be her moral support and help her set up her presentation. While Darcy was very capable up setting up a laptop and projector, she couldn't really bend over to connect everything. Cam was more than happy to lend a hand and bring over tasty food but the food was definitely going to have to wait for now.

"One of the panel definately has terrible choice in cologne. It's like Axe had a midlife crisis in here," Darcy whimpered. Perfumes and colognes were a sure way to set off her gag reflex during this pregnancy and she'd forgotten her little bag of lemons in her rush to get out this morning. Normally, sniffing lemons helped cleanse the bad smells from her nose.

What she _didn't_ tell Cam was that she was also getting pains in her lower back and stomach. They felt faintly of menstrual cramps but unlike the normal Braxton Hicks, these were a little more intense. They'd been happening every 20 minutes or so, but were starting to quicken. Darcy took a deep breath and winced, clutching her lower back. Panic had been gripping her this entire morning as she thought over all the complications that could occur in late pregnancies, including stillbirth and low fetal heartrate. At her OBGYN appointment yesterday, they had discussed the possibility of inducing labour but Darcy had begged to at least do her presentation first. She was actually supposed to be picked up by Natasha after this for a debriefing and ride to the hospital for monitoring.

"Do you want some water? I can get some water. I mean, I only brought sodas up but I can run to the cafeteria. The panel shouldn't be back for another twenty minutes and the computer's pretty much ready. You just need to set up the powerpoint," Cam offered nervously, rubbing a soothing hand up and down Darcy's back. She leaned into the touch, closing her eyes and trying to focus on evening out her breathing. The entire panel had left for an hour lunch break before the final few presentations would go and while Darcy had practiced until she'd memorized every slide, she still wanted to practice once before she went.

"Water would be awesome," nodded Darcy. "And some lemons. Just a little baggie of sliced lemons."

"Sure!" Cam smiled, glad to have a task. He was really crap at the whole pregnancy helping thing, always looking like he was worried the baby would explode from her stomach _Alien_ style whenever something pregnancy related happened to her. The smile he wore quickly turned to terror when he turned around and saw Brock standing in the doorway. Darcy had no clue as to why Brock was at the Communications campus. They hadn't talked since he left her standing at the doorway with Sam. It had been both a relief and a tad distressing. Now that he was staring at Cam with a look that clearly stated he would enjoy killing the young technician very slowly, Darcy kind of wished they were back to no communication. The little flutter in her stomach at the sight of Brock could easily be explained away by indigestion so Darcy wasn't going to go down that road.

"Brock?" Darcy practically squeaked, wincing at another wave of cramp-like pains and holding her stomach. She noticed Brock's eyes move from Cam to her grip and concern flashed briefly across his face. Next to her, Cam broke slightly out of his fear and realized that his hand was still on her back. He pulled it away like he was burnt and cleared his throat, unintentionally bringing Brock's attention back to him. "What are you doing here?"

"Security detail for the panel," Brock explained coolly, taking a few slow steps into the room. With each step, he behaved more and more like he was stalking prey before the strike. What unsettled Darcy was she couldn't tell if the target was her or Cam.

"Shouldn't you be watching them now?" Darcy challenged.

"Jack's got it covered. I wanted to see you. Ask about your check up. Who's your little friend?" asked Brock, hand moving to the gun holster at his side. Next to her, she heard Cam gulp and Darcy rolled her eyes at the alpha male display. A part of her felt a little bad for Brock's position but only a tiny part. It must be difficult for Brock to see her with a string of male strangers who were filling in the role he was supposed to have. Then again, it was his fault they were apart.

"I'm Cameron Klein, sir," Cam answered in a strong voice, refusing to be completely intimidated and pleasantly surprising Darcy. "I'm a friend of Darcy's and uh, technical support today."

"I can't plug in the computer," shrugged Darcy, watching Brock carefully. "You'd think a super high tech government school would have an easy projector setup but I still need to crawl around to connect everything. Well, Cam crawls around."

"Wait? Halloween party Cam? I thought you were a girl," frowned Brock and Cam joined him. They both looked to Darcy and she shrugged innocently. She may have left out pronouns when talking about Cam with Brock and never corrected him. She also hadn't told Cam that she was still messing with Brock or that Brock was very much the territorial type.

"Well, he's a boy. And he's going to get me a water and bag of sliced lemons," Darcy said smoothly, pushing Cam slightly so that he got the hint. She didn't really want to lose a friend at this point and it wasn't Cam's battle whatsoever. With a final look towards Darcy to see if she really did need help or not, Cam nodded and practically ran out of the classroom, trashcan still in his grip. Once he was gone, Darcy looked back up at Brock to find his gaze hadn't moved from her. "So which of the Agents showered in Axe?"

"Agent Yates and don't try and change the subject," rumbled Brock.

"What is the subject exactly? You trying to out man Cam?" Darcy raised an eyebrow and rested her hands on her hips. A smirk tugged at Brock's lips and Darcy already knew the answer begging to spill from his lips. "And _no_ , I don't like it."

"You've been to the bathroom a lot today," Brock stated, throwing Darcy off completely. "And grabbing the baby and your lower back a lot more. Also, you were shivering earlier for a straight two minutes."

"So? I have a tiny person kicking my bladder," Darcy crossed her arms and was building up to a self-righteous argument to end all arguments but the reality of what Brock said made her stop short. "Wait, how do you know all that?"

"I have access to the security feeds," Brock explained simply like it wasn't creepy he was monitoring her every move.

"And the first thing you did was monitor your baby mama's pee breaks? I didn't think that was your kink."

"I wanted to make sure you were okay. I'm sorry about yesterday," admitted Brock, throwing Darcy off kilter again and making her heart flutter. Despite her better judgment, she took a step towards him and he helped close what little distance was left.

"What's there to be sorry about?" Darcy muttered, trying to avoid Brock's intense gaze that was making her feel all sorts of things in her pants. He reached out to tuck an imagined errant strand of hair behind her ear and Darcy almost swooned, the slightest contact sending little shivers of pleasure down her spine.

"If you want to be with his Sam guy, it's not my place to say. Or if you want to be with Cam, it's your choice," Brock said slowly, as if each syllable was agony to force out of this throat. It tore at Darcy and she felt tears begin to well in her eyes. The last thing she needed was mascara tears before this presentation. For a moment, Darcy let her head nod down but just as her forehead was about to rest on Brock's chest, she caught herself and snapped her head back up. In an attempt to gain some control of the situation, she fixed Brock with what she hoped was a sanctimonious glare.

"Why do you even care about who I'm with or not? You're seeing that red head. You've moved on. Why can't I?" Darcy accused, an unbidden flare of jealousy gripping her chest. A couple months ago, she'd seen Brock walking with a red headed beauty in tight leather pants, red corset top and heels to match. The woman had clung to Brock, whispering something in his ear as one of her hands slipped up under his shirt. All in broad daylight too. Darcy had been out with her family eating lunch in outdoor seating. While Brock did not see her, she definitely saw that he was enjoying the red head's attention. Insult to injury mounted when Darcy was sure she recognised the woman as someone who occasionally worked at their old apartment's maintenance office.

"Red head? What red head?" scoffed Brock just before realization hit him.

"The red head I saw you walking with in front of Central. She had her hands in your pants and you were enjoying the public voyeurism," Darcy said, crossing her arms and glaring at Brock but she had a feeling it was more a pout. She tried not to think about that moment much. It hurt too much to even consider what the actual reality could be. Still, shame dug into Brock as he let out a long breath and clenched his jaw, running his hand through his hair and tugging roughly on the ends. The obvious guilt made Darcy's throat close and her chest cinch.

"You saw me with Sin?" Brock asked but it sounded more like a statement.

"Yeah, Sin. Red headed harlot. Whatever you call her," spat Darcy.

"Sin doesn't mean anything to me," swore Brock, body deflating and eyes shining with remorse. "I swear. We screwed around before I met you but I broke it off with her because she was obsessed with me. Wanted a commitment I didn't want to give."

"And you committed to me instead?" Darcy asked, feeling a little smug but still very angry. For some reason though, she took a tiny step closer to Brock so that she could feel the warmth radiating off of him.

"I rebounded with her when you left. I missed you like crazy and thought I'd never get to see you or the baby, ever. So, I made a really shitty decision but after the couple times with her, I told her it was over. Forever this time," promised Brock, placing his hand on the side of Darcy's neck, thumb brushing along her jaw.

"Really?"

"Really," Brock nodded and Darcy felt a burst of affection warm her entire body. She wanted to stay mad at him but couldn't find it in her anymore.

"Good, because I'm pretty sure she's banana-balls," Darcy said with a huff. Brock tried to hold back a smile and failed.

"Yeah? How do you know that?"

"I met her a few times," Darcy stated nonchalantly but at that, Brock completely stilled.

"What?" asked Brock, voice low and dangerous. For a moment, Darcy faltered and reconsidered her answer.

"It took me some time to remember but I ran into her on your birthday. You know, when I accidently exploded the pressure cooker and told you about the baby? She was doing some door to door survey of the building to see how happy we were with the apartment. Wanted to come inside but Kraken wasn't having it. Actually, the pressure cooker went off soon after that. Then she was asking me for directions when I went shopping once with Leslie. Oh and the weirdest was like, a month ago maybe? She asked to touch my bump but I said no because I hate it when people do that. Like, it's totally okay to fondle a stranger? Anyway, she had like, mega crazy eyes."

"Why didn't you ever tell me?" snapped Brock, body tensing and his hand tightening against Darcy's neck before he realised what he was doing and dropped it.

"I didn't realise it was important until now. I assumed you met her at the old apartment and was moving on."

"Have you seen seen her this month? Do you remember anything else about the meetings?" Brock asked with a sense of urgency that was beginning to frighten Darcy. He must have noticed because he eased up.

"Not since she tried to feel up the bump. Why? Should I be worried?"

"No. She's harmless," Brock said in a tone that suggested she was exactly the opposite of that. Still, something made Darcy stop pressing the matter. She wasn't sure if it was because she was scared to tug on that thread in Brock's past or if she was simply just tired of imaging Brock tangled up with the other woman.

"Well, as long as we're sharing, you should know that Sam is like, super gay for Cap. Also, I wanted him to drive me because it was the only time he had to help me with my public speaking skills. He's really good at them and I needed help for today," Darcy admitted a little bashfully, feeling her cheeks heat up as she focused on gently rubbing her bump.

"Oh," Brock intoned, a little flat but she was certain she could hear some relief.

"And, yeah, I may have made out with Cam a few times but I was pregnant horny and realized I wasn't ready to get really physical with anyone despite that. We're just friends. Also, I think the pregnant thing still freaks him out," Darcy looked up to find Brock's face had lowered dangerously close to hers. They were chest to chest, her bump almost touching him but not quite. Another contraction hit and Darcy wrinkled her nose at the pain.

"Do I need to take you to the hospital?" Brock asked, concern in every line of his face.

"No. Nat's taking me after the presentation," Darcy explained, letting the unspoken hang in the air and allowing Brock to draw his own conclusions as to why Nat would be the one to make the drive. It was too dangerous to talk out in public about these things. At least in her house, Stark had put scramblers in all her light fixtures and sockets to interfere with listening devices. "They probably want to induce."

"It looks like they aren't going to have to induce," Brock pointed out and Darcy huffed. "You need to go to the hospital. I do not want my baby being born in a Communications classroom. Pretty sure Agent Hamm delivered foals when he lived on a farm as a kid but that's not how our daughter's entering this world."

"I do _not_ need a farmer to treat me like a horse because I'm _not_ about to push out a baby right this second. I'll be fine. Loads of women have contractions that last days before they even go into labour," scoffed Darcy but before Brock could protest any further, Cam reappeared with a water bottle and a little cup of lemons. He cleared his throat to announce his presence, unsure of the tension in the room and whether it was sexual or just anger. Once Brock stepped away to a respectable distance, Cam risked entering and offered Darcy the cup of lemon slices first. As Darcy sniffed the citrusy smell and finally felt some relief from the constant nausea that was her norm, Cam opened the bottle and gave it to Darcy.

"Okay, so I get you guys are worried but can you give me some breathing room?" she teased both men, who seemed to be holding their breaths, as they watched her. Both shared similar abashed expressions and stepped backwards.

"I should get back to the Agents," Brock cleared his throat, waiting for Darcy to give him any reason to stay.

"I need to practice," Darcy explained and Brock nodded once.

"You'll do fine," he promised her, reaching out to take one of her hands in his and giving her a reassuring squeeze. At that, he turned back around and walked out. As Darcy watched him leave, she felt her chest cinch just a bit. Why did the love of her life have to come with so many complications? Wasn't it supposed to be easy? She really didn't care if her life was some sordid fantasy or exciting fairy tale. When she was with Brock, there was an underlying feeling of simplicity. She loved him. That was straight forward enough. So why couldn't their relationship be straightforward too?

"We've got about ten minutes left now. Not sure you'll have a chance to go through it all slowly but we can do a quick run down," Cam said, pulling Darcy out of her thoughts and back to the most important matter at hand. Letting out a sigh, she nodded in agreement and went to pull up the powerpoint.

* * *

Despite Darcy's earlier reservations, the presentation was actually going quite well. The panel looked genuinely impressed by her program, taking notes and nodding with interest. Her confidence boosted the longer her presentation continued. Darcy wondered if this was what Natasha felt like sometimes? A strong, confident woman fooling others into believing exactly what she wanted them to, without question, so that she could silently get the job done under all noses. Obviously, her trying to get a data analysis program approved by a committee wasn't really on par with threat of teeth removal because she was interrogating someone by letting them think they were actually interrogating. Didn't make Darcy feel any less of a badass though.

There were a few unplanned interruptions of the fetus variety. Not that Darcy let it show. Her contractions sped up in frequency. It was kind of annoying to explain the beauty of the simplicity of her coding when her back ached and what felt like period cramps were tensing her entire pelvis area every 5 minutes or so. Adding to this frustration was the fact that Darcy could see Brock fidgeting behind the panel of Agents and noting any tiny sign of discomfort she let slip. Literally, she could see him low key timing her contractions with his watch. None of this helped her but she powered through it, even when it was obvious Agent Yates was not entirely convinced by her presentation and his cologne made her want to upchuck the burger she's scarfed down. In fact, she'd already vomited a couple times in the back of her throat.

Finally, she reached the question portion, which meant that she would soon be able to leave. A small amount of relief eased the tension in her jaw, neck and shoulders that had been forming. Panic began to replace it though when Darcy realised that it meant she would be that much closer to a hospital and eventually having a tiny screaming human looking towards her for everything. Suddenly, the end of the presentation didn't seem all that great.

"Miss Lewis, this is all quite impressive," Agent Norwell said. She was a woman in her mid forties wearing a black pantsuit with a little jack-o-lantern pin on the lapel. Although she looked stern, Darcy liked her because she had asked Darcy how far along she was before the presentation and also given Darcy encouraging nods. The woman seemed to respect Darcy purely based on the fact that she was sticking through the Academy while pregnant and single. Much better than the male jagweed agents that were judging her for that same fact.

"Thank you," Darcy allowed herself a tiny smile.

"Why should we use this model instead of anything that one of our professional Agents could provide? Or even anything that we already have in place?" Agent Hamm, a man in his late 50s that appeared to always go straight to the point, asked in a rumbling voice. A little heavyset and very beady-eyed, Darcy got chills just thinking about Brock considering him as a viable substitute for her OBGYN.

"As I mentioned, this set of algorithms bypasses common issues SHIELD still faces with overfitting and regression. It doesn't get bogged down with outliers but can still assess an outlier within the data. It also can potentially do this on a global scale. From what I have been able to discern from the programs they are teaching us to use, the SHIELD data mining algorithms could use another push into ever changing technology use. I've been able to code scenarios within the algorithm that will help to analyze and assess individual's safety concern through social media," Darcy explained with practiced ease. She had been expecting this question.

"SHIELD already makes use of analyzing social media. How is this so special?" Agent Yates asked, leaning back in his chair and smirking like he'd asked a question that would stump Darcy. The man was in his early thirties and reeked of overconfident dudebro. He'd eyed Darcy's boobs with appreciation but would let his eyes wander back down to her bump and frown in disapproval.

"Because your current algorithms don't analyze the seemingly mundane. Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, MySpace? Aren't the only types of social media that people use where they unknowingly give up important pieces of information," said Darcy, knowing she probably sounded a little like someone trying to explain the importance of cat videos for a black ops mission. "Food, entertainment and language apps are all being utilized through the digital world. Sure, we're still gonna have smart criminals and terrorists who use minimal technology but this will be able to catch people before they realise that technology can so easily track them."

"Are you suggesting someone's pizza order could help us catch a terrorist organisation?" Agent Yates could barely contain his mirth and Darcy felt a stab of anger rising. Taking a long breath, she calmed herself so that she didn't waddle over to rip at his stupid face. Seeing Brock's face flash with rage as he drilled holes in the back of Yates' head with his stare made Darcy feel a tad better, as much as she didn't want to admit to that.

"Yes. People tend to have very specific eating habits. They don't often change them if they can help it. Say a target is lactose intolerant but still has an occasional taste for cheese? That specific behaviour for someone with that lifestyle will follow them and leave a trail, whether they like it or not. There will likely be a combinations of orders and purchases that consist of specifically lactose free products but also high quality lactose products. Maybe even periods of avoiding those lactose products before giving in and binging during times of stress. The algorithm will make notes of this and be able to match up data if the target is on the move or lying low."

"Diets are also religiously connected or even a sign that our target is getting more in shape. I can actually think of a number of uses for assessing a target's dedication to an organisation through diet," Agent Hamm stated and Darcy did her best not to preen as Yates' smirk twisted to a frown at the lack of support from his fellow man.

"Can you tell us more about how your algorithm is more advanced than the ones we have in place? How did you discern this and improve your system for our needs when others have yet to?" asked Agent Norwell, bringing things back on track and Darcy thought she could see just a little eye roll at the men on either side of her. Glad to be back to talking about the details about her coding, Darcy easily ventured into an organised ramble of how her hacking into the SHIELD firewalls numerous times had given her the idea to look more into the structure of SHIELD's data mining. Towards the end of her tale, a long and particularly painful contraction hit her. Pain sprouted in her lower back and lower pelvis, causing Darcy to grip onto the table that held her laptop and equipment as well as her bump. In the surprise, Darcy forgot to breath evenly and her chest tightened in fear.

"Are you alright?" Agent Hamm asked, actually sounding concerned. If Darcy wasn't trying to remember how to breath, she would have been touched.

"I'm fine," Darcy was able to clench out. After about a minute, the pain receded and Darcy let out a sigh of relief. Standing up and loosening her grip on the table, she tried to offer the panel a reassuring smile. When she looked up, she noticed that Brock had left his post and was slowly approaching her.

"Are you sure?" Yates frowned, looking very concerned that Darcy was going to explode and there'd be little babies raining down on everyone.

"Yes. It's normal this late along," swore Darcy but at that very moment, a gush of water spilled from between her legs to pool at her feet. Her attempt at Kegels did nothing to stop the flow, leaving Darcy standing in a puddle, liquid dripping down her legs and skin burning red from hairline to toe. Why did she wear a dress today? Though she wasn't sure if looking like she peed her pants would have been any better.

"Really? Because you're leaking. At least...that's not piss, is it?" Agent Yates pointed out warily and Darcy let out a small, frustrated huff. She wasn't sure if she was more annoyed with Yates for his ignorance or amused at the fact that he seriously had no idea what what happening to her.

"Nonsense, her water just broke," Agent Norwell said, completely no nonsense and rolling her eyes at Yates. When Yates stared blankly at her, she shook her head in aggravation. "She's in labor."

"No, I'm fine. I can take any final questions you have," Darcy insisted, face still completely red and heated. This was definitely not gonna help the case for the program. Yates looked like a disgusted deer in headlights, Norwell had pride in her eyes and Hamm's lips were pursed.

"Darcy, I'm taking you to a hospital. Right now," Brock announced, tone not leaving any room for argument. As if that ever stopped her in the past. The panel had forgotten Brock was there and they jumped up at the sound of his voice. Darcy, on the other hand, crossed her arms and stood her ground as he made his way towards her.

"I'm not leaving until my presentation is over. Besides, Nat is gonna pick me up in half an hour, anyway."

"Miss Lewis, as reassuring as your dedication is, perhaps given the circumstances you should allow Agent Rumlow to escort you to the hospital," suggested Agent Hamm, voice soothing and calm. It didn't do much to calm Darcy at the moment though as Brock had just reached her and was trying to push her out of the room by her shoulders. His hands kept getting swatted away by Darcy with sharp, fast slaps. "Or another agent, if you wish."

At this exact moment, Rollins poked his head into the room and Darcy wondered if he had super hearing or if Brock simply talked to him over the comms the moment Darcy's water broke. Either way, he took in the room and smirked.

"So, she finally popped?" Rollins asked but it came out more as a statement. The comment made Darcy gasp in indignation and Brock sigh with resignation.

"Why isn't anyone listening to me? I'm perfectly _fine_ ," Darcy insisted but she couldn't stop the waver in her voice. The baby was coming and Darcy was just realizing that she wasn't ready yet. She still hadn't perfected scooping up a newborn or completely baby proofing the house or got swaddling down to a science. Then there was the possibility that she didn't bond with her baby or even got postpartum depression. Even worse, all the complications of birth. Her hands started to shake and tears welled. Brock stopped trying to push her and firmly took her wrists in both his hands, forcing her to look at his face. "Besides, I need to pack all my things and-"

"Darcy, it's gonna be fine," promised Brock gently before pulling her into his arms. With his strong hold keeping her still, Darcy couldn't help but feel safe for the first time in a while. The tears began to fall freely and she sniffled into his chest.

"What if I don't bond with her?" Darcy asked, voice tiny and muffled. Brock's grip tightened. "Or there are complications and-"

"We're both gonna love her so much," Brock assured her, speaking into her hair and placing a kiss on the crown of her head. "You're doctor's good and she'll know what to do."

"Stop it. You're making me cry," sobbed Darcy, unable to stop the streaming tears falling down her face and soaking into Brock's shirt.

"Ahem, I think we're done with our questions," Agent Hamm spoke up, clearing his throat, a tad uncomfortable at the sudden affection between the lead security detail and a prospective agent. Standing up, he sent a pointed look towards Rollins. "Agent Rollins, please take lead on security while Rumlow escorts Miss Lewis to her pick up point."

With a nod, Rollins started talking into his comms, barking orders for reassigning unseen agent posts. He even took the time to wave to someone outside to pack up Darcy's things, who turned out to be Cam. Disappointment welled in the pit of Darcy's stomach. Of course, Brock had a job to get back to. It wasn't like she had wanted him around during labour anyway. Shouting how much she was pissed at him would have been nice, probably, but he had high level agents to protect. For a moment, Darcy briefly wondered who was Hydra on the panel but after another contraction, she hissed and stopped caring.

"I'll call Nat and see if she can hurry," Darcy said, doing her best to sound strong but her sniffles hindered that. Placing her hands on Brock's chest, she pushed him away but he refused to budge.

"I'm driving you and I'll be with you the whole time," Brock promised, using his thumb to wipe away the tears on her cheeks. Darcy's eyes widened as she took in his offer. The panel had stopped moving and Darcy could feel their stares on them.

"What was that, Agent Rumlow?" Agent Yates asked, rather annoyed at the insubordination and what Darcy assumed was just any sign of feelings. "You're on duty until we are back at the Triskelion."

"With all due respect, sir," Brock said evenly, jaw clenching, keeping his gaze on Darcy. "This is the birth of my child. I'd like to be there."

"And with all due respect, agent, SHIELD expects you to see all your missions until the end," Yates shot back, eyeing Brock with a look that clearly radiated some Hydra warning. The only response from Brock was a stern frown and slow exhale through his nostrils. Realizing that once again, Brock was choosing Hydra over her, whether it be forced or not, caused Darcy's heart to sink and a fresh new wave of tears to spill. Successfully pulling herself free of Brock's hold and feeling all the more colder out of it, Darcy began to walk towards the door.

"Well, this has been great but there's a human about to explode from me so I'm gonna call Nat," Darcy announced, deciding to peace out for Brock's sake and her own sanity.

"I'm coming with you," Brock said, voice clear and defiant. It stopped Darcy in her tracks and she turned around to stare at him in surprise. The panel of agents were also surprised.

"Are you defying a direct order?" Agent Yates asked, standing up and looking all the world like he was about to go on a warpath, starting with firing Brock on the spot then blacklisting Darcy from SHIELD just out of spite. Darcy wasn't even sure if Yates could fire Brock but she didn't want to be the cause of ruining the undercover mission Nat and Steve had been painstakingly working on. As much as she hated Brock for choosing Hydra over her, she did admit that a part of her understood. You don't piss off a Nazi organization that had been slowly working on causing the world to fall into the brink of total war and chaos all because you knocked up an insignificant Jewish girl. Still, her heart skipped a beat when she saw Brock's confident stance and the fire the directed at Yates.

"If it means I get to be one of the first people my daughter meets, then yes," Brock said and Darcy practically melted. The tears were swiftly becoming those of joy.

"Oh, let him go," Agent Norwell insisted, not at all pleased with Yates' sudden display of dominance. Through from the slight shake of her head and unimpressed expression, this was something she had to deal with on a daily basis.

"And set what precedent for-"

"You would look at that poor girl and deny her the comfort of the father of her child?" Norwell scoffed and Yates sputtered but wasn't able to get another word in. "Agent Rumlow had been an asset to us for many years. I think he can be allowed this for his exceptional work thus far."

"Besides the longer you argue this, the more likely that Miss Lewis is going to give birth in this room," Hamm spoke up. "And I don't know if you've ever seen any animal give birth but it's not pretty. That would probably ruin women for you. Though maybe the female population would thank us."

"Fine," grit Yates, "but Rumlow will be coming in for a debriefing on his actions once this is over."

Somehow, that was it. A little dazed, Darcy let Brock lead her out of the room as another contraction hit. She was only slightly aware of him barking orders to Cam to pack up her things and for students in the hall to make way. The trip down to a black SUV parked right in front of the building. Darcy had a feeling that Rollins was responsible for that.

"Nat has my overnight bag," Darcy said once Brock jumped into the driver's side after helping buckle her in.

"I'll call her on our way and tell her to meet us at the hospital," Brock said, starting the engine.

"Wait," cried Darcy, wits slowly coming back to her. Brock stared at her in worry though he didn't drive away just yet. "I got you in trouble."

"Yates has a stick up his ass. He's high level but all he really has power over is intake and analysis. Talks big but the most he can do to me is get me written up. Sitwell hates the guy and wouldn't let me get in trouble all because I left a low level security detail for a family emergency."

"I don't want to be the reason...what about the whole under-" Darcy stopped herself, knowing they were in a SHIELD issued car that probably was recording everything they said. "You...you're really gonna pick me?"

"Of course," Brock said like it was the most obvious fact in the world. He shifted in his seat so that he was facing her, cradling her face in his hands. "Always."

"Oh...okay," sniffled Darcy and watched as Brock took in her red cheeked and dripping snot appearance with only love. "Then we should probably go to the hospital."

"Yeah, that's probably a good idea," Brock agreed, kissing Darcy softly and sweetly on the lips before turning his attention back to the wheel.

"God, we need to call my mom. And Jane. Thor's on Earth right now. He'll be there too. All of them, including Nat, think they're going to be my birthing partner."

"They're gonna be disappointed when they find out it's me," Brock smirked as he burned rubber pulling out of campus.

"What do you know about Lamaze?"

"I'll have you know that I've been doing a lot of research on all things birthing and babies. Know how to change a diaper and everything," Brock announced proudly.

"You're confident," scoffed Darcy, a little jealous that he didn't seem to be worried about what to do when the baby was actually out.

"Hey," Brock said, reaching out one hand to take Darcy's and give it a reassuring squeeze. "I'm always gonna be there for you. I promise."

With a few deep breaths, Darcy nodded and squeezed back, feeling just a tad more relaxed than she had before. She refused to let go of Brock's hand, even as he started making phone calls using the SHIELD SUV built in bluetooth. As she breathed through each contraction, she just prayed that Brock wasn't lying.

* * *

Birth was simultaneously nothing like anything she'd seen on TV or in movies and yet was a cluster of clichés within itself. All of her assumed birth partners arrived at the hospital within an hour after Darcy and they were all rather displeased that neither the doctor nor Darcy wanted them all involved directly in the birthing process. By this point, Darcy's contractions had gotten absolutely horrible and each time it felt as if her insides were twisting and being wrung out like a wet dish rag. To make it worse, they kept coming and didn't have much of a break in between. So, Darcy announced through clenched teeth that if they couldn't make up their minds, then no one was going to be there but her.

It was eventually settled that Brock and Darcy's mom would stay with her despite Thor alluding to some Asgardian fertility voodoo he could offer for an easier birth. Jane easily ended this argument by stating that no Midgardian woman had yet to be offered and subsequently examined while under the influence Asgardian epidurals, so he was out. As her mother was flipping out over Brock being anywhere near the baby when he was gonna steal it for his boyfriend, Natasha tried to sneak Darcy some ice chips and her favourite robe and for a shining moment was the only one Darcy wanted near her for the miracle of birth because she was the least annoying of everyone. But then Brock put a hand on her lower back and the pressure helped her pain ease just a bit. And her mother placed a cooling hand on her forehead like she always did when Darcy was sick as a little girl.

As long as Natasha guarded the door for pesky gay lovers, then Darcy's mom was fine with Brock being present because it made Darcy happy. All this had happened around Darcy as if it were the wisp of a dream. Soon enough and not soon at all, Darcy was asked to start pushing. About two pushes in, she'd firmly decided that this would be her one and only child unless science perfected the artificial womb. She also wondered if Johnny Cash's song _Ring of Fire_ was actually about birth.

Yet, when 7 pounds and 9 ounces of a screaming pink bundle was placed in her arms at 7:47pm, she decided that maybe it was sort of worth it. Though, when the doctor told her it was time to deliver the placenta, Darcy told her where she could shove that suggestion. Honestly by that point, Darcy wanted everyone to leave her alone. _Everyone_ but the wrinkled crying thing in her arms that she couldn't help but adore. It took some goading from Brock and her mother for her to finally agree.

Unfortunately, it was also at this stage that the truce between Brock and Darcy's mom broke and they fought so loudly that the nurses had to get security to escort them out of the room. So Natasha, Thor and Jane were there for the placenta delivery and her first attempt at breastfeeding. In the end, everyone sort of got to be involved. Also, Darcy was banned from ever giving birth again at the hospital but she was certainly fine with that.

* * *

In exchange for being the first person to hold the baby, besides Darcy and the nurses, Natasha agreed to be part security, part liason between Brock and Mama Lewis senior. Jane and Thor were next as Natasha tried to explain to Darcy's mom about how Brock wasn't at all gay and that there was more minutiae in the reasons to why Brock had left.

Thor whispered to Baby Girl Lewis and Darcy assumed he was blessing her. Given the ruckus that the people who were supposed to love her most had caused over her, Darcy decided that her kid was going to need all the luck she could get. Or maybe it was Darcy that was gonna need it because there were definitely going to be many headaches over just the next 18 years alone.

By this time, her stepfather and half sister had already arrived, with them much of the Lombardo family, so of course they all needed a turn. Darcy half listened to the lecture that her mother gave her as Baby Girl Lewis was being passed around. It was all a huge, loud joyous and yet annoying occasion where a mix of English and Italian filled the room. Much like most of the Lombardo family get-togethers but with less delicious food. Thankfully, Baby Girl Lewis got rather fussy at all the hullabaloo and everyone was ushered back out by a dutiful Natasha, leaving mother and daughter alone to bond.

It was when Darcy was trying to calm (and failing) Baby Girl Lewis, that Brock finally walked in to say an official hello to his daughter. Without much prompting, he gently lifted the wailing bundle from Darcy's arms and cooed as if he'd been doing it everyday of his life. He still was wearing full SHIELD tactical gear, minus the guns and bullet proof vest. Watching him gently rock their baby made Darcy feel jumbled and warm inside.

"Hey there, Baby Girl Lewis," whispered Brock. Their daughter quieted down and in a few short minutes, fell into a soft slumber. Unable to keep his eyes off of his daughter, Brock smiled with shining eyes, brow furrowed slightly as if he couldn't believe he'd helped make something so tiny and fragile.

"I can see why you love her more than me," Brock teased and Darcy couldn't stop her smile. That had been the first thing she'd said to Brock when they lay the little girl in her arms. She'd cried and apologised to him because she'd once promised that she'd never love anyone more than him. He'd just chuckled and kissed the top of her head. The memory brought tears to her eyes but she wiped them away before they could fall. She apologised again though and Brock shook his head. "Nothin' to be sorry about. I'm sorry I fought with your mom."

"I don't think there was any avoiding that. At least it's all out now. Most of it. Mom can hold a grudge," winced Darcy.

"Well, I know where you get that from, then," said Brock with a light laugh and Darcy rolled her eyes but her attention went back to their daughter who was sleeping like a little angel. Darcy's heart was about to explode at the mere sight.

"You don't have an excuse to hate Halloween anymore," she countered, scooting over on the hospital bed, patting next to her for Brock to settle down. He tentatively perched on the edge before making himself a little more comfortable. Darcy leaned into his shoulder, enjoying the warmth radiating off of him. "Maybe she _is_ a demon spawn? Lucifer Lewis. How does that sound?"

"You aimin' for her to be a supervillain?" questioned Brock and Darcy shrugged, burying her face in his arm until he slowly shifted their daughter into the crook of one arm so he could wrap the other around Darcy's shoulder. As he moved Baby Girl Lewis, Darcy reached out and uttered a small cry of uncertainty until she saw that he had her perfectly balanced. She relaxed once more into his side.

"You're right. The double Ls? Terrible idea. Besides, I already had a name picked out," admitted Darcy, "Rosalie. After my grandma on my dad's side. She was the first one to know about her. Even before I peed on a stick."

"Rosalie?" Brock tried out the name and smiled down on their bundle of joy. "I like it."

"Rosalie Michelle Lewis," Darcy added, grinning as Brock quickly turned towards her in surprise.

"Really? After my mom?" Brock asked, trying to keep the excitement out of his voice. Elation filled his eyes and he tried to bite back a grin. Butterflies floated in Darcy's stomach at the sight.

"Yeah. I mean, without her, you wouldn't be here and then we wouldn't have Baby Girl Lewis. Besides, she's special to you. So she's special to me too, even if I never met her."

"She would have loved you," Brock assured her, tightening his grip around her shoulder. " _I_ love you."

"I love you, too," admitted Darcy softly but Brock still heard it. He gazed down on her with tender affection, looking like the happiest man on earth. Letting the moment continue, he looked back to Rosalie.

"And I love you Rosalie Michelle Lewis," he swore. Darcy wondered if anyone had ever seen this vulnerable side of Brock before. Maybe Jack on occasion but she had always felt special that Brock had let the mask slip for her sometimes. Watching him hold Rosalie with such love and acceptance made her head spin a little with conflicting emotions. On the one hand, she loved Brock almost as much as Rosalie, which was a tremendous amount. It felt like she could float away into space at this point. On the other hand, Hydra. Though he'd chosen her in front of the panel. And if Yates wasn't a poster boy for Hydra, then she didn't know who else could be.

"You're gonna stay with us, right? Move in? Please," Darcy blurted out before she could really stop herself and think about what she was asking. Though at this point, she knew that she meant it. Or maybe her tired post birth brain was already making a mistake and she needed Nat back to make all her decisions for her.

"Do you really want me to?" Brock asked, surprised by the question. "What about your mom? She's supposed to stay with you full time for a couple months. You know how she feels about me. And what was all that a few days ago about my work wife?"

"I know, but you can't leave. Not again," Darcy could hear the whining in her voice but there was nothing she could do to stop it. The tears were welling again and this time, they began falling in thick streams down her cheeks. Although she was the one who technically walked away the first time, she wasn't going to bring _that_ up because she was sure it would make her cry even harder. "You said you'd always be there for me. So then do it. I want you to move in with Kraken and stay with me and Rosalie and be a family. Sitwell can suck on old diapers and Yates can choke on a pacifier. I want you there, like...yesterday and I want you to hold the both of us when we cry because I'm probably not gonna stop crying for like, another month and we know that this one isn't gonna stop crying for years. And you have to show me how to make her stop crying and how to scoop her up and...and I don't know. Everything? Because even though I read all those books, I now somehow know nothing about taking care of a baby but suddenly you're a genius at it?"

"Then I won't leave," Brock promised. "I'll move in with you. Me and Kraken. We'll stay as long as you want us to. I'll even put in a doggie door in the house. I'll hold you whenever you're upset and I'll take care of Rosalie when she wakes up in the middle of the night. I'll change her diapers and we're probably gonna to learn a hundred more things along the way. I'm serious Darcy, I'm staying this time. It doesn't matter what Sitwell or Yates or even Pierce say."

"Really?" Darcy asked tentatively and Brock gave her a single nod. "I've kind of been unreasonable. Like this entire pregnancy. It's probably not gonna stop for a while."

"Well, then I've got to give you a fair warning that once I move in, I'm probably gonna be hard to get rid of."

"I think I'm fine with that," Darcy eventually said, realizing that she really was fine with it. Wiping away her tears, she gave Brock a watery smile and looked at Rosalie, who was still sleeping peacefully despite the noise Darcy was causing. After a pause, Brock rubbed a hand up and down Darcy's arm as she reached out to pluck imaginary lint from the pink blanket swaddling Rosalie.

"It's gonna be difficult, y'know," said Brock, lowering his voice to a whisper that tickled the top of Darcy's ear. "They're gonna be watching us even more. I have to prove my loyalty again. Somehow."

She didn't need a second hint to guess who 'they' were. Nor did she miss the ominous tone to his 'somehow'. Trying to swallow past the lump in her throat, Darcy nodded and buried her face in Brock's neck. Of course Hydra would be pissed. That was inevitable. If they couldn't easily manipulate the situation then they'd either find another way or eliminate the threat. Right now, she wasn't sure who was more of a threat now. Her, Brock or Rosalie?

"If we need to pretend...I don't know, that you're only trying to be decent? Or, or maybe make them think they can use me," offered Darcy, mumbling into Brock's neck and she felt his grip around her tighten.

"We'll figure something out," Brock promised, kissing the top of Darcy's head. From the conviction in his voice, Darcy was certain that he'd already thought up 3 different scenarios and came up with escape plans for for each one. Although, he'd shown her two of his safe houses, she knew he'd had a few more hidden away. She wasn't entirely sure if that was reassuring or not.

"Can we talk about normal people problems," pleaded Darcy, breaking away from Brock and kissing his jaw. "Like...how are we gonna get Kraken used to her? And how else can I convince my mom and stepdad that you're not gay?"

"Well, I have a few ideas for Kraken. Also, I think we should avoid your mom meeting Jack for a while. He was asking me earlier how much I thought a baby would sell on the black market."

"Ugh, why are you friends with him?" Darcy rolled her eyes and made movements to take back Rosalie. Once their baby was nestled back in Darcy's arms, she felt a wave of peace settle over her. Jack would sell this baby over her dead body. Also Natasha's and Jane's.

"He grows on you. You know that," Brock said and Darcy felt the rumbling laugh in his chest. "So...how do you feel about Rosalie Michelle Rumlow-Lewis?"

"I guess I could be persuaded on Lewis-Rumlow, given the right incentive," teased Darcy and Brock grinned, fixing Darcy with a heated stare. He leaned in and rubbed the tip of his nose against hers.

"Yeah? What kind of incentive is the right one?"

"If you have to ask at this point, then you probably won't know it."

Brock didn't need any more suggestions. Leaning down slightly, he placed kisses down Darcy's temple, cheek and neck before moving back up to capture her lips gently. The kiss turned heated and wet rather fast. Brock's hands reached up and tenderly gripped the base of her head, tilting her head up just a little as a plead to open her mouth. What felt like a hundred dancing butterflies twisted inside her stomach. Naturally, Darcy accepted the invitation but just as their tongues started to tussle, the clearing of a throat at the doorway broke them apart.

"Pretty sure there isn't supposed to be any of that for 6 weeks," Natasha announced cooly, arms crossed as she leaned against the door frame. Even from this distance, Darcy knew there was a twinkle in her eyes. With how Brock's body stiffened, Darcy had the feeling he was glaring at one of Rosalie's many godparents with a disgruntled scowl. It didn't phase Natasha, who began to shake her head and tsk. "In front of a baby too."

"I can take care of my girl and my baby just fine, thanks," growled Rumlow and although Darcy enjoyed the way the words vibrated through his chest, she knew there wasn't any real ill will in them. Natasha simply raised an eyebrow.

"Just came to tell you guys that visiting hours are officially over and the grandparents are here to say goodbye till tomorrow," Natasha said and Darcy sighed. Technically, visiting hours had been over about 4 hours ago but she knew Natasha and Thor had swayed the hospital staff. The very nicely furnished room was testament to that. Though by now, she was sure they'd all overstayed their welcome even if quite a few staff had newly signed autographs and photos. Shooting Brock with a smirk, Natasha continued."The nurses say you can sleep on the couch. Or I guess share the bed with her, but no funny business."

"I can keep my hands to myself when I have to," Brock grumbled and the way that Natasha rolled her eyes said she didn't believe that for a second. "Besides, I'll keep watch."

"Won't have to. Have a couple SHEILD agents stationed in case," Natasha stated and there was movement outside the door. Darcy could make out the tell-tale sign of a jackbooted thug's arm. A small part of her deflated at the reminder that life was just that little more complicated that Darcy had to have security outside of the hospital door for her baby. She actually hadn't anticipated needing any security but Brock was always hyper vigilant about these things and she was too tired to rationalize any of it.

"If it's Jack, tell him to steal someone else's baby," Darcy said haughtily before adding with a more gentle, "and you shouldn't have Natasha. We'll be fine."

"Actually, you should thank Agent Norwell. She sent them over," shrugged Natasha. "Also, got Brock a week of leave, paid. Guess you made a good impression on her."

"At least I impressed someone," Darcy said nonchalantly though was bursting at the seams at the news. Handing Rosalie over to Brock so that he could place her in the bassinet, Darcy settled into the hospital bed and felt a wave of exhaustion crash over her. As her family hugged and kissed her goodbye for the night, the world began to blur at the edges. The last thing she noticed was Brock placing a kiss on her forehead before settling down on the couch. Despite grumbling about him being too far away, Darcy fell into a calm sleep with a smile on her face. At least some things in her life were simple enough. With Brock back, she was fine with dealing with all the complicated stuff.


End file.
